Acrylonitrile copolymers



United States Patent F 19 Int. Cl. C08f /22,- e07. 69/54, 103/12 US. Cl. 26079.3 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention relates to fibre-forming acrylonitrile copolymers having high aflinity for acid dyes and to a process for their production by copolymerising at least 80% by weight of acrylonitrile together with 0.5 to by weight of an unsaturated copolymerisable N,N-disubstituted oxalamide or a quaternisation product thereof.

This invention relates to fibre-forming acrylonitrile comoplymers with a high afiinity for acid dyes and advantageous properties, and to a process for their production by copolymerising acrylonitrile with ethylenically unsaturated oxalamide hydrazides.

It is known that the aflinity of acrylonitrile polymers for acid dyes can be increased by copolymerising comonomers containing basic groups, such as unsaturated tertiary or quaternary amines, preferably vinyl pyridines, and their alkyl-substituted derivatives. Copolymerisation is usually carried out in aqueous suspension. Unfortunately, it has not yet been possible in this way to find a satisfactory solution because the basic groups which are incorporated detrimentally affect to a considerable extent the thermal stability of the polyacrylonitrile. Fibres and filaments produced from such copolymers do not have the required high degree of whiteness and tend to discolour very appreciably under the influence of heat, Although it was possible to improve thermal stability by mixing together two polymers, only one of which contains the basic groups in correspondingly higher quantities, the process is complicated by additional steps whtich are not only expensive but technologically are difficult to control. Readily dyeable acrylonitrile/methyl vinyl pyridine copolymers can also be obtained by copolymerisation in dimethyl formamide solution. In this instance also, the textile properties and thermal stability of the spun filaments are far from satisfactory, whilst their tendency to discolour could once again only be prevented by mixing together two polymers which had to be purified beforehand by solution and reprecipitation.

It is also known that unsaturated semicarbazides and their quaternary salts can be copolymerised with acrylonitrile, giving temperature-resistant polymers showing a high affinity for acid and basic dyes. Copolymerisation with these monomers could only be carried out in aqueous media and not in the conventional organic solvents for polyacrylonitrile, for example dimethyl formamide. In the case of solution polymerisation in dimethyl formamide, the polymerisation reaction was disturbed by the comonomer, resulting in the formation of discoloured solutions.

When applying heat to the solutions (removal of the unreacted monomer residues by falling-film evaporation on dry-spinning) these showed a marked decrease in viscosity, due to degradation of the polymers formed, with the result that the solutions could not be spun by the dryspinning process. The spinning of extremely thin filaments (less than 3 den.) by the dry spinning process 3,520,855 Patented July 21, 1970 from the copolymers obtained by aqueous polymerisation also involved difficulties because the filaments had an inadequate tensile strength and could not be stretched.

It is an object of this invention, to provide fibre-forming acrylonitrile copolymers containing at least by weight of copolymerised acrylonitrile and 0.5 to 20% by weight of a copolymerised N,N-disubstituted oxalamide hydrazide of the formula or a quaternised derivative of said N,N-disubstituted oxalarnide hydrazide of the formula wherein R and R each represents an alkyl radical or R and R together with the nitrogen form a heterocyclic ring, R represents a C to C alkyl radical, Y- represents an anion selected from the group consisting of a sulfate and a sulfonate and R represents an unsaturated radical of the formulae wherein R represents hydrogen or a methyl group, whilst n represents an integer from 1 to 4.

The acrylonitrile copolymers according to the invention are unusually heat stable, readily spinnable and show a high aifiinity for basic dyes.

It is another object of this invention, to provide a process for the production of acrylonitrile copolymers, which comprises copolymerising at least 80% by weight of acrylonitrile together with 0.5 to 20% by weight of an unsaturated copolymerisable N,N-disubstituted oxalamide hydrazide or a quaternisation product thereof, the balance being 2 to 12% by weight of a further comonomer, the percentages by weight being based on the total of monomers being used.

Examples for the readily copolymerisable N,N-disubstituted oxalamide hydrazide comonomers of the general formula and the corresponding alkyl-quaternised derivatives of the formula wherein R, R R R and Y have the meaning as given above, which are used as comonomers according to the invention are the following:

4 afiinity for acid dyes. The lack of basicity in the functional groups also accounts for the other advantageous properties, such as the high level of polymerisability, the outstanding whiteness of the copolymers and their limited tendency to yellow. The comonomers according to the invention may readily be copolymerised with acrylonitrile, optionally together with other monomers, both in aqueous medium and in conventional organic solvents for polyacrylonitrile, at high polymerisation velocities and in high yields. While, thermally stable filaments with outstanding textile properties even when producing extremely low deniers, can be obtained by dry or wet spinning from spinning solutions prepared from the poly- These comonomers may be prepared in accordance with the process described by the applicants in an earlier application, for example by reacting diethyl oxalate with an aminophenol to form the corresponding amide ester which is then further reacted with an N,N-dialkyl hydrazine. The hydroxyl group of the resulting hydroxyphenyl oxamido-N,N-dimethylhydrazide is esterified with acrylic or methaciylic acid chloride. It is also possible to react an amino alcohol with acrylic or methacrylic acid chloride and to prepare the comonomers from this compound by further reaction with oxalic acid ethylene ester- N,N-dimethyl hydrazide. Nitrophenyl oxalamide diethyl ester may be catalytically reduced to form the corresponding aminophenyl compound, the resulting compound reacted with N,N-dimethylhydrazine and the hydrazide reacted with acrylic or methacrylic chloride.

The unsaturated N,N-disubstituted oxalamide hydrazides may be quaternised with organic esters of inorganic or organic acids, for example dimethyl sulfate or methyl toluene sulfonate.

The comonomers are readily soluble both in water and in polar organic solvents such as dimethyl formamide, dimethyl acetamide, dimethyl sulfoxide or ethylene glycol carbonate. The aqueous solutions of the non-quaternised derivatives are weakly acid, whilst those of the quaternised products are strongly acid. It was therefore surprising that these comonomers, or the functional groups incorporated, should impart to the polymer such a high production of acrylic fibres, which they combine with all the advantages of conventional comonomers suitable for the production of polymers readily dyeable with acid dyes, and in addition show new advantageous properties.

The copolymers prepared in accordance with the invention contain at least of acrylonitrile. The quantity in which the N,N-disubstituted oxalamide hydrazides are used as comonomers may be from 0.5 to 20%, although it is preferably from 5 to 12%. It is generally desirable for the copolymer to contain from 200 to 400 milliequivalents of dye-combining groups per kg. of polymer. The copolymerisation of acrylonitrile with the unsaturated oxalamide hydrazides is preferably carried out in the presence of additional neutral comonomers, for example acrylates and methacrylates, vinyl esters, styrene and its neutral derivatives, acrylamides or methacrylamides. They may be present in the polymer in quantities from 2 to 12%, preferably from 5 to 8%. The percentages by weight are based on the total amount of monomers used.

In aqueous medium, polymerisation is carried out at pH values of below 7, either continuously or batchwise. The pH value is adjusted by strong mineral acids, for example sulfuric acid or phosphoric acid, or by organic sulfonic acids, for example toluene sulfonic-acid. The pH value is preferably from 1.5 to 4. When the strongly acid quaternary salts are copolymerised, polymerisation may even be carried out in the absence of acid. The

6 amount of water added is usually from to 10 times of water. The polymerisation temperature may be in a the quantity in which the monomers are used. The reacrange from 0 to 80 C. depending upon the type of non temperature is in the range from 30 to 70 C. and catalyst used, although polymerisation is preferably preferably in the range from 40 to 55 C. Suitable polymcarried out at a temperature from 25 to 60. Polymerisaerisation catalysts include compounds which are able to tion may be carried out either continuously or batchwise form react ve radicals, for example azo compounds or in conventional reaction vessels, preferably in the aborgamc or inorganic peroxidic compounds. It is preferred, sence of oxygen. After the required conversion rate or however, to use redox systems and in particular those polymer concentration has been reached, the reaction is hased on PeroXidic Compounds and Compounds of Sulfur stopped. The highly viscous solutions formed are either in a low stage of oxidation. The water-soluble salts of 10 colourless or very slightly yellow, clear and gel-free, persulfuric acid, for example sodium, potassium or amso that they can be further processed without any difli- ITlOIllllm persulfate are preferably used as the peroxidic culty, They may be spun by dry or wet spinning processes compounds in the redox system, whilst sodium or potasinto fibres or filaments of any customary denier, either f hydrogen Sulfite 0T pyrosulfite is used as the I directly or following removal of the unreacted volatile tion component. The catalysts are used in sucha quantity monomers, for example under d d r r i a that the polymer has a K-value of from 75 to 90 (acfalling fil evaporator, cording to Fikehtschel. ceihllosechemie P- Percentages quoted in the specification and in the The Catalysts are generally used in quantities from following example are percentages by weight, based on to 3% y Weight, based on the total Weight of the IHOIIO- the total quantity, unless otherwise stated. filers used- In Order to regulate the grain SiZe in Which The following example is to further illustrate the inventhe polymers are formed (and hence, for example, filtertion. ability or drying), small quantities of emulsifiers, wetting agents or special electrolytes may be used. It is advan- EXAMPLE 1 tageous to flush the polymerisation vessels with nitrogen, Polymerisation in aqueous medium is carried out as for example before the beginning of the reaction, and follows: to avoid the presence of atmospheric oxygen during the 88 litres of desalted water are poured into an enameled reaction. 150-litre-capacity vessel equipped with stirring mecha- The polymers prepared by the process according to the nism, thermometer, reflux condenser and nitrogen inlet, invention precipitate from the reaction medium in the and heated to about 55 C. by means of a heating circuit. form of fine, readily filterable grains, usually even in The air is then displaced from the vessel with nitrogen the absence of grain regulators. Readily soluble fine and the monomers: 6.54 kg. of acrylonitrile, 460 g. of powders are formed from them, providing drying is methyl acrylate and 690 g. of the compound CH3 CH2=CCOO"'CH2CH2NH-CO-CONI-I I ICH3 CH3SO3- carried out in a stream of heated air at 150 to 180 C. are dissolved in the desalted water. 52 g. of potassium Such polymers can be converted very easily into highly persulfate and 36 g. of sodium pyrosulfite, each disconcentrated, readily spinnable solutions in the usual solved in 500 ml. of water, are then added and the pH solvents for polyacrylonitrile, for example, dimethyl value of the reaction medium is adjusted to 2 by means formamide, dimethyl acetamide, dimethyl sulfoxide or of 20% by weight toluene sulfonic acid solution. The ethylene glycol carbonate. reaction mixture is stirred for 5 hours at 50 C. under With solution polymerisation, conventional solvents for an inert gas pressure (nitrogen). The resulting finepolyacrylonitrile may be used as the reaction medium. grained pure white polymer is separated and washed Of the usual organic solvents, dimethyl formamide or out in a filter centrifuge. 6.5 kg. of polymer (85% yield) dimethyl sulfoxide are preferably used. The concentrawith a K-value of 84.4, are obtained drying in vacuo at tion in which the monomers are initially present in the 55 C. Analysis showed that the copolymer obtained reaction mixture is such that, on completion of polymer- 50 contains 6.3% of methyl acrylate and 203 milliequivalents isation, clear, non-cloudy solutions are formed which of quaternised oxamide hydrazide groups per kg. can still be conveyed through pipes at temperatures in Preparation of the compound 69 [OHz=oCo-oCH2-CH2NHC0CoNHN-(CHa)sloth-Q8039 the range of 35 to 40 C. In the process according to the 165 parts by weight of the compound present invention, the total monomer concentration is from 20 to 40% by weight, depending both upon the CH2=(|3C0 O-CH2 CHZ NH2HC1 comonomer component and upon the solvent. To initiate CH3 polymerisation, soluble radical-forming catalysts, for example azoisobutyronitrile, ammonium persulfate, organic hydroperoxides keto peroxides, acyl peroxides or peresters and 160 parts by weight of the compound CH may be used in the solvent employed. It is preferred to 3 use redox systems consisting of the aforementioned orfi ganic peroxides and of reducing compounds, for example 0 0 derivatives of sulfinic acid, sulfinamides in particular. The quantity in which the catalysts are used is governed are dissolved in 1000 parts by weight of methanol. 40 both by the other reaction conditions and by the required 7 parts by weight of NaOH, dissolved in 200 parts by weight molecular weight. As a rule, they are used in quantities of methanol, are added dropwise at room temperature. from 0.5 to 3% by Weight. It is usually of advantage The reaction mixture is stirred another 6 to 8 hours at for the reaction mixture to contain from 0.05 to 1.0% 30 to 50 C., the sodium chloride, which precipitates, by weight of a strong acid, such as sulfuric acid or an is filtered off and the filtrate is evacuated nearly to dryaromatic sulfonic acid, and/or from 0.5 to 2% by weight ness.

7 s t The compound CH: 01' CH2=CCONH 0112:-000- 0115:0-0 O-O-CHzOHz-NHCOCONH-N I \CH R4 R4 3 wherein R represents hydrogen or a methyl group, whilst n represents an integer from 1 to 4. 2. The copolymer of claim 1 wherein said N,N-disub- P P and 1s filterefi stituted oxalamide hydrazide has the formula:

Yield 220 parts by welght, melting point 90-92 C. CH 243 parts by weight of the compound CHz=CCONE-CHz-NH-CO-CO-NH-N CH3 Ha Ht CH2=C-CQ-O -CH2 -CH2-NH -C(). CO -NH N/ 1r 3. The copolymer of claim 1 wherein said N,N-disubstituted oxalamide hydrazide has the formula: H; CH

(EH: CH=CCOO-CH2CH2NHCOCONHN are dissolved in 1500 parts by weight of acetone and H3 stabilized by addition of 1 part by weight of phenothiazine. 204 parts by weight of methyl-p-toluene, dissolved in 300 parts by weight of acetone, sulfonate are added 4. The copolymer of claim 1 wherein said N,N-disubstituted oxalamide hydrazide has the formula:

dropwise at room temperature. The reaction mixture is 01115 stirred for 12 to 16 hours. The quarternized product of CHz=OH-OOOOHzCH2-NHCOOONHN the formula a [0112:0-0 O0CHg-CHzNH--C 0-0 O-NH-fiKJHQa :ICHF-QSOQG precipitates in crystalline form and can be filtered OH". 5. The copolymer of claim 1 wherein said N,N-disub- Yield 330 parts by weight. stituted oxalamide hydrazide has the formula:

Melting point 130-132 C. r

What we claim is:

1. A fibre-forming acrylonitrile copolymer containing at least 80% by weight of copolymerised acrylonitrile and 0.5 to 20% by weight of a copolymerised N,N-disub- CHz=C-CONH NHCOCO-NH-N stituted oxalamide hydrazide of the formula Ha OH 6. The copolymer of claim 1 wherein said N,N-disub- R-NH-C 0-0 ON11N\ stituted oxalamide hydrazide has the formula:

or a quaternised derivative of said N,N-disubstituted oxalamide hydrazide of the formula CHFCH CONH R1 Q The copolymer of claim l wherein the quaternized derivative of said N,N-disubstituted oxalamide hydrazide R3 has the formula:

ClJ-Ia 0112:3141 ONH-CH2NHG O-GONH1+\ICH3 CH3--SOF CH3 6H2 wherein R and R each represents an alkyl radical or 8. The copolymer of claim 1 wherein the quaternized R and R together with the nitrogen form a heterocyclic derivative of said N,N-disubstituted oxalamide hydrazide ring, R represents a C to C alkyl radical, Y- represents has the formula:

an anion selected from the group consisting of a sulfate and a sulfonate and R represents an unsaturated radical of the formulae 9. The copolymer of claim 1 wherein the quaternized 01I :(|3O0NH\CI-I2): CH2 -(|3CO0(GH:)n derivative of said N,N-disubstituted oxalamide hydrazide R4 R4 has the formula,

10. The copolymer of claim 1 wherein the quaternized derivative of said N,N-disubstituted oxalamide hydrazide has the formula:

CH3 CH:

11. The copolymer of claim 1 wherein the quaternized derivative of said N,N-disubstituted oxalamide hydrazide has the formula:

12. The copolymer of claim 1 wherein the quaternized derivative of said N,N-disubstituted oxalamide hydrazide has the formula: 30

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,408,338 10/1968 Szita 260-79.3 3,412,077 11/1968 Szita 260-793 JOSEPH L. SCHUTER, Primary Examiner C. A. HENDERSON, JR., Assistant Examiner US. 01. X.R, 260-486, 551 247, 85.5

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION 21 1970 3,520,855 Dated y Patent No.

t al lnventor(s) Jeno 521118 6 It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1 line 25 "comoplymers" should read copolymers Column 2, line 25, first formula CH =C should read CH =C- Column 6 line 53 the formula should appear as shown belgw:

Signed and sealed this 10th day of November 1970.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR. Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM PO-105O (10-69) Q u.s. 60V lmmnrr num'mc orncz: I"! o-su-au 

